Shaft manipulating and centering tool

Abstract

A shaft manipulating centering and assembly tool for use in a housing bore has four basic members, a manipulating member, a pressing member, a locking member and a power drive member. The manipulating member has an outer surface the radius of the bore and an inner surface that includes one section the radius of the shaft and a flat section. The pressing member has limited rotation within one end of the manipulating member and can push against the bore wall or shaft and can turn the manipulating member. The locking bar member anchors the tool on a housing stud. The drive member turns the pressing member and manipulating member and holds the locking bar in place. By placing the tool beside the shaft within the bore and turning it in a first direction, the shaft is lifted onto the manipulating member and the locking bar moves beside the housing stud. By rotating it in the opposite direction, the locking bar engages the stud and the pressing member moves the shaft to one end of the bore on the manipulating member flat section so that the shaft can be easily turned. By further rotation in the first direction the shaft is lifted by the manipulating member flat section until it falls into its arcuate section where it is centered in the bore. By centering the rear end of the shaft with a centering device, the tool can be removed and bearings inserted in the front end of the housing, after which the centering device in the rear can be removed and bearings inserted in the rear bore around the shaft rear end.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A shaft centering and manipulating tool including: 
       a shaft manipulating member having a first end and a second end and an inner side and an outer side;  
       said shaft manipulating member outer side including a convex surface area;  
       said shaft manipulating member first end having means for attaching a presser member;  
       said shaft manipulating member inner side having a concave surface area,  
       a said presser member pivotably attached to said shaft manipulating member first end presser attaching means for applying pressure to and manipulation of said shaft manipulating member.  
     
     
       2. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member outer side convex surface has essentially the same radius as that of a bore it is to be used with.  
     
     
       3. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member inner side concave surface area has essentially the same radius as that of a shaft it is to be used with.  
     
     
       4. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  3  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member inner side concave surface area blends into a flat surface area section adjacent said shaft manipulating member second end that forms one side of an essentially wedge shape at said shaft manipulating member second end,  
       said shaft manipulating member outer side convex surface has essentially the same radius as a bore it is to be used with and with said inner side flat surface forms a second side of said essentially wedge shape at said shaft manipulating member second end.  
     
     
       5. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member and said presser member are pivoted together by a power shaft of a tool drive member,  
       said tool drive member has a first end and a second end,  
       said tool drive member first end includes a power drive means and said tool drive member second end includes said power shaft,  
       said power shaft has a means adjacent said tool drive member second end for securing and positioning said tool drive member and said shaft manipulating member and said presser member together.  
     
     
       6. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member and said presser member are pivoted together by a power shaft of a tool drive member;  
       a locking member is supported by and pivoted on said power shaft  
       said locking member has a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;  
       said locking member has a power shaft aperture adjacent its said first end and a stud retaining recess in its said second side adjacent its said second end.  
     
     
       7. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  6  wherein: 
       said locking member has a tapered outer stud guide extending between its said second end and its said second side for guiding said locking member past a stud and toward said stud-retaining recess in its said second side.  
     
     
       8. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  6  wherein: 
       said locking member stud retaining recess includes an opening in its said second side and a slot within said locking member adjacent said locking member second end;  
       a locking member hook is formed in said locking member at its said stud-retaining recess between its said second side and its said slot on its said second end side of its said stud-retaining recess.  
     
     
       9. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  8  wherein: 
       said locking member second side stud retaining recess opening is provided with a tapered inner stud guide surface that extends between its said slot and its said second side facing said locking member hook;  
       said locking member slot adjacent to said locking member second end at said locking member hook is essentially the same size as a stud to be positioned by said locking member.  
     
     
       10. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said presser member has a first end and a second end;  
       said presser member second end has a slot that forms yoke members on either side of said slot;  
       holes in said presser member second end yoke members support an axle;  
       a roller is supported by said axle in said presser member second end yoke members.  
     
     
       11. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member first end has a slot forming yoke members;  
       said presser member is positioned within said slot and between said yoke members of said shaft manipulating member first end.  
     
     
       12. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  11  wherein: 
       said presser member has a first end and a second end;  
       said presser member has a power shaft aperture adjacent to its said first end;  
       shaft manipulating member first end has a power shaft aperture extending through each its said yoke members;  
       a power shaft extends through said shaft manipulating member power shaft apertures and through said presser member power shaft aperture to position and pivotably attach said presser member within said shaft manipulating member slot between its said yoke members.  
     
     
       13. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  11  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member slot has a flat surface base;  
       said presser member has a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;  
       said presser member first end has a flat section and said presser member second side, adjacent to its said first end, has a flat section and its said first end flat section and its said second side flat section have an arcuate surface between them.  
     
     
       14. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  13  wherein: 
       said presser member has a power shaft aperture adjacent to its said first end;  
       said shaft manipulating member first end has power shaft apertures adjacent to its said first end in its said yoke members;  
       a cylindrical power shaft extends through said shaft manipulating member power shaft apertures and through said presser member power shaft aperture to position said presser member within said shaft manipulating member slot between its said yoke members;  
       said presser member arcuate surface between its said first end flat section and its said second side flat section has a center of rotation that is the same as said power shaft center line and center of rotation.  
     
     
       15. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  14  wherein: 
       said presser member is secured to said power shaft and the distance between said power shaft center line and said presser member arcuate surface is slightly less than the minimum distance between said power shaft center line and said shaft manipulating member slot flat surface base so that there is a limited relative movement between said presser member and said shaft manipulating member.  
     
     
       16. A shaft centering and manipulating tool as in claim  4  wherein: 
       said shaft manipulating member and said presser member are pivoted together by a power shaft of a tool drive member;  
       said tool drive member has a first end and a second end;  
       said tool drive member first end includes a power drive means and said tool drive member second end includes said power shaft;  
       said power shaft has a means adjacent said tool drive member second end for securing and positioning said drive member and said shaft manipulating member and said presser member together;  
       a locking member is supported by and pivoted on said power shaft;  
       said locking member has a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;  
       said locking member has a power shaft aperture adjacent its said first end and a stud retaining recess in its said second side adjacent its said second end;  
       said locking member stud retaining recess includes an opening in its said second side and a slot within said locking member adjacent said locking member second end;  
       a locking member hook is formed in said locking member at its said stud-retaining recess between its said second side and its said slot on its said second end side of its said stud-retaining recess;  
       said locking member second side stud retaining recess opening is provided with a tapered inner stud guide surface that extends between its said slot and its said second side;  
       said locking member slot adjacent to said locking member second end at said locking member hook is essentially the same size as a stud to be positioned by said locking member;  
       said shaft manipulating member first end has a slot forming yoke members;  
       said presser member is positioned within said slot and between said yoke members of said shaft manipulating member;  
       said shaft manipulating member slot has a flat surface base;  
       said presser member has a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;  
       said presser member first end has a flat section and said presser member second side, adjacent to its said first end, has a flat section and its said first end flat section and its said second side flat section have an arcuate surface between them;  
       said presser member has a power shaft aperture adjacent to its said first end;  
       said shaft manipulating member first end has power shaft apertures adjacent to its said first end in its said yoke members;  
       a cylindrical power shaft extending through said shaft manipulating member power shaft apertures and through said presser member power shaft aperture to position said presser member within said shaft manipulating member slot between its said yoke members;  
       said presser member arcuate surface between its said first end flat section and its said second side flat section has a center of rotation that is the same as said power shaft center line and center of rotation;  
       said presser member is secured to said power shaft and the distance between said power shaft center line and said presser member arcuate surface is slightly less than the minimum distance between said power shaft center line and said shaft manipulating member slot flat surface base so that there is a limited relative movement between said presser member and said shaft manipulating member that provides said pivotal attachment between said presser member and said manipulating member.